NDA govt won't compromise on farmers' interests: Arun Jaitley

BJP today asked its MPs to convey to the public the stand taken by the NDA government to protect the interests of farmers at WTO even as it assured that the interests of the farming community would not be compromised at any cost.

Giving details of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks and the stand adopted by India there, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told party MPs that the government would resist and block all anti-Indian farmer moves by the international body.

Speaking at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, Jaitley said that the government would go ahead on the Trade Facilitation principle only after a categorical assurance regarding the public stock-holding and procurement of foodgrains and the public distribution system.

India made it clear at the recent WTO General Council meeting in Geneva that it would not ratify the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) until a permanent solution is found on its food security issues. "The MPs were told about India's stand at WTO and that the NDA government would never compromise on farmers' interests at any cost," BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said after the meeting.

Regarding the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), the BJP MPs were, meanwhile, told about the decision taken in connection with the issue and that nothing better could be done at this stage as the controversy was created by the previous Congress-led UPA regime.

Naqvi said that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu told the MPs that the decision on CSAT was the "best available solution" so as to not disrupt the UPSC examination process. The BJP Parliamentary Party also unanimously congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his successful Nepal visit and for cementing ties between the two neighbouring countries. Naqvi said that BJP MPs lauded Modi for his initiative during the Nepal visit aimed at bringing the people of the two countries together. "Jaitley informed the meeting that the Modi government is voicing the concerns of Indian farmers at various international fora. The government is determined to resist and block all the anti-India farmer moves by WTO and other agencies," he said.